[rldunn]

The islands in the Arafura Sea were definitely the area of responsibility of Air Group 934 with headquarters in Ambon. The other escort units in the Japanese Southwestern Area (932, 936, and 954) had different areas of responsibility and it seems very doubtful they would have operated at the extreme eastern end of 934's area.

As originally formed in 1942 the unit that became Air Group 934 had only one unit of Type Zero Recce seaplanes (Allied name JAKE) in its T/O. By the end of 1942 it had reorganized. It began receiving Type 2 seaplane fighters (RUFE) at least by early 1943. It was assigned 10 from new production in Feb and Mar 1943. Its T/O as of 1 Oct 43 (and probably for much of 1943) was: 12 seaplane fighters, 16 3-seat recce planes, 8 2-seat observation seaplanes (PETE).

Rick